Thu Apr 10 20:39:32 2008

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Rose and Immelman lead Masters; Woods four back

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Augusta, GA (Sports Network) - Justin Rose and Trevor Immelman both posted rounds of four-under-par 68 on Thursday to share the opening-round lead of The Masters at Augusta National.

Tiger Woods, who proclaimed that the single-season Grand Slam was "within reason" for him this year, opened with an even-par 72 and is tied for 19th place.

Woods, a four-time Masters champion, opened with 12 consecutive pars before a tough bounce with his second at the par-five 13th. His four-iron second shot hopped right off the putting surface into a valley behind the green.

After weighing several options including putting all the way down the hill to try for a 30-footer for birdie, he elected to try a delicate chip. Woods' ball rolled into another collection area right of where he was standing and ended up with a bogey.

Woods bogeyed No. 14 as well, then hit over the green at the par-five 15th. He had an uphill chip and pitched on and watched the ball roll in for an eagle three.

"It was a pretty easy little pitch. It was straight uphill," said Woods. "The ball was sitting up. It was pretty soft underneath there and just had to carry it far enough, and it went in."

Woods parred out for his second birdie-free round at the Masters. His other was round one of the 2003 event, but Woods has not broken 70 in the first round of any of his four victories.

"I kept myself in the tournament, I'm right there," acknowledged Woods. "With the weather supposed to be getting more difficult as the week goes on, I'm right there."

There was a one-hour fog delay Thursday morning and that factored into the top of the leaderboard.

Lee Westwood was in the final group and tied for the lead at four-under when he reached the 17th green. He and playing partners Aaron Baddeley and Camilo Villegas informed officials they wanted to finish in waning light instead of having to return Friday morning to polish off the first round.

Westwood three-putted that green for a bogey, but somehow saved par in almost complete darkness at 18. He finished with a three-under 69 and is tied for third with Brian Bateman and Brandt Snedeker.

Ian Poulter aced the 16th hole for the 19th hole-in-one in Masters history. He is part of a group tied for sixth with defending champion Zach Johnson, Jim Furyk, Robert Karlsson and Stephen Ames.

Phil Mickelson, who has won two of the last four green jackets, shot a one- under 71. He holed out from off the green for a birdie at one, but mixed two birdies and two bogeys the rest of the way.

All of these players have to catch Rose and Immelman.

Rose got off to a horrible start Thursday with bogeys at one and four. He knocked his tee ball to six feet to set up birdie at the sixth and it led to four straight birdies.

"I wasn't putting particularly well, but I made a great little putt there in the middle of the hole and that settled me down," said Rose.

The Englishman played "Amen Corner" wonderfully. Rose parred 11, then rolled in a four-footer for birdie at the 12th. He birdied the par-five 13th and found himself in the lead.

Rose parred out to find himself in a very familiar spot at Augusta National. He has held at least a share of the first-round lead there times now, including 2004 and last year when he tied for fifth.

"I think I learned that I just felt like I belonged there, that I enjoyed it, that I felt comfortable with it," said Rose. "Right now it's the first round. There's a whole bunch of players playing well."

Immelman was flawless on Thursday. He tallied birdies at five and nine, then tapped in a short birdie putt at the par-four 11th. At the par-five 15th, Immelman holed a four-footer for birdie to match Rose in the lead at minus- four.

He saved a couple of nice pars at the closing holes to grab his share of first.

Immelman has struggled on tour this season. He has missed four cuts in eight starts and his only top-20 finish was a tie for 17th at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

"Obviously my form hasn't been too stellar so far yet this season," said Immelman, who tied for fifth in 2005 when he recorded the last ace prior to Poulter's on Thursday. "I think I've been struggling through a few things, and, you know, each week I've kind of felt like I chipped away at something new and started getting a little bit better."

Vijay Singh, the 2000 Masters champion, is part of a group tied with Woods at even-par 72.

Ernie Els only managed a two-over 74 and is tied for 44th.